Life-saving apparatus



May 31, 1927. 1,630,501

M. C. STEESE LIFE SAVING APPARATUS Fled April 12. 1920 Patented as 31,1927.

mucus c. s'rnnsz, or nunurn, mnnso'ra.

' run-swine Arrmrus Application filed April 12,1920. Serial no. awa ts.I

My invention relates to life-saving apparatus, such as is used in minesand other places Where gas is prevalent, whereby thewearer of theapparatus may safely enter places where otherwise he would be subjectedto danger of injury, if not death. More particularly the inventionrelates toapparatus including a supply of. oxygen and means connectingthe oxygen supply with the respiratory organs of the wearer in suchmanner that the wearer may have a suflici'ent supply of oxygen at alltimes regardless of the amount consumed. The apparatus 1s provided withmeans for exhalation as well as inhalation, the usual type of apparatusincluding a bag preferably suspended in front of the wearer andconnected by suitable means to the mouth and nose of the wearer, meanswithin the bag) for absorbing the carbon-dioxide exhaled y the wearer,and means for preventing its admission to the inhalation portion of theapparatus.

It is a well-recognized fact that the inhalation and exhalation of ahuman being varies according to the exertion of that erson. The amountof oxygen inhaled an exhaled when a person is exercising or working hardis greater than under normal conditions.

I am aware that various kinds of apparatus have been devised forsupplying oxygen to a person, but such do not function I satisfactorilyunder all conditions. At the present time there'aretwo types ofapparatus used. In one form a constant flow of oxygen is supplied to thewearer, which-supply is more than suflicient to supply the oxygenconsumed when the wearer is not exerting himself, but which is below theamount required when the wearer is exerting himself violently. In suchap aratus it is necessary to provide means or throwing ofl the excessamount of oxygen supplied, which results in a material waste of oxygen.To take care of the increased supply demanded when the wearer isexerting himself, a manually controlled valve is provided in theapparatus. The other type of apparatus is what is known as a variableflow apparatus and is so constructed that the rate of flow of the oxygenvaries with the consumption. This regulation is accomplished by theopening and closing of an auxiliary valve which is operated by abellows. The chief object-ion to this type of apparatus is that theopenings in the auxiliary valve must necessarily thereof.

very small, the result being that these small openings become cloggedvery easily, thus impairing the efliciency of the apparatus andendangermg the life of the wearer by cuttin g off the flow of oxygenwhenfthe same is needed. i

My invention finds particular application in that type of apparatuswherein the supply of oxygen is responsive to the consumption.

- An object of my invention is the provision of alife-saving apparatusof the class described whichis of simple construction and in which theoxygen supply is made responsive to the variations in breathing of thewearer so as to supply the requisite amount of oxygen at all times.

Another object is to provide an ap aratus of the class described whichwill urnish oxygen in proportion to the consumption A further object isto provide an apparatus which will be as simple in mechanicalconstruction as is practicable, and one in which there are no outsidemoving parts and in which there are no small apertures through which theoxygen must pass, thereby removing the possibility of clogging and theendangerin .of the life of the wearer.

These and 0t er objects are accomplished by means of the arrangementdisclosed on the accompanyin sheet of drawings, which.

shows in somew at diagrammatic form a life-saving apparatus in which areincorporated the features of my invention.

Oxygen cylinders 1 are arranged to be carried preferably on the back ofthe wearer in any desirable manner. In these cylinders the oxygen iscontained at high pressure. A tube 2 in communication with the oxygenlinders 1 has the supply of oxygen theret rough controlled by means of amain valve 3 and in part by a reducing valve 4. Interposed between thevalves 3 and 4 is a pressure gauge valve 5 which is connected by meansof a pressure gauge tube 6 to a pressure gauge 7 carried on the bag 8.Around the reducing valve" 4 is a by-pass valve 9 which on being openedermits oxygen to 4 pass to the discharge si e of the pressureoxygen isled into the breathing bag 8 by means of a supply tube 10. In myarrangement the portion 11 of the oxygen supply pipe referably is insidethe breath ng bag 8 and projects downwardly a considerable distancetherein and has an upturned end 12 which enters a Venturi tube 13 andhas 1ts discharge end terminating within the Venturi tube 13 at thepoint of greatest restr1ction of the latter. The Venturi tube 13 isconnected by a flexible tubing 14 to the mouth-piece 15, which issecured to the head of the wearer in any suitable manner. From themouth-piece an exhalation tube 16 extends to the breathing bag 8. Thisbreathing bag 8 is provided with a flexible partition 18 which extendsfrom the top of the bag to almost the bottom thereof, so that for allintents and purposes the bag may be considered as being divided into twoportlons by means of the partition 18. The inhalation tube 14 isconnected to the breathing bag 8 on one side of the partition and theexhalation tube 16 on the other side thereof. In the bottom of the ha aquantity of canstic soda 19 or other car onic acid absorbent is placedin such quantit as to extend above the bottom ofthe partition 18 andthus prevent the flow of gas from either side of the partition withoutnecessarily having to pass through the absorbent. An exhaling reliefvalve 17 is provided which may be adjusted by the wearer as occasiondemands.

The operation of the apparatus wlthout the Venturi tube 13 maybe'described briefly as follows In such a case the reducing valve 4would become a constant flow valve and be set to permit the flow ofapproximately two litres of oxygen per minute. The main valve 3 beingopened, ox gen from the cylinders 1 would pass theret rough, then to thevalve 4 and through oxygen supply pipe 10 to the breathing bag 8. Thesupply of oxygen necessarily distends the bag 8 and if there were noconsumption of oxygen this supply would have to be relieved by means ofthe valve 17 It will be understood that the inhalation tube 14 is incommunication with one of the portions formed by the partition 18, whilethe exhalation tube 16 is in communication with the other portion, whichis standard in all bags of this general type. When the wearer isbreathing, the oxygen supplied to the bag is inhaled through the tube 14and exhaled through the tube 16, the carbonic.

acid passing through the absorbent 19 and being absorbed thereby, thevolume within the bag being augmented by the constant flow of oxygendelivered thereto. In case of violent exertion, the two litres of oxygenare insufficient to sup ly the requisite amount of oxygen, anaccordingly the wearer manipulates the by-pass valve 9 to admit anexcess supply of oxygen to the bag from time to time to make up for thedeficiency caused by the constant flow of two litres.

However, as stated before, in the apparatus of my invention, theextension 11 of the oxygen supply pipe 10 projects into the bag with thedelivery end 12 thereof projecting into the Venturi tube and termmatinat the point of greatest restriction. Wit

this arrangement the reducing valve 4 serves as a variable flow valveset to discharge at a constant pressure; that is to say, if the pressurein the oxygen supply pipe 10 is increased or decreased, the flow throughthe valve 4 will be correspondingly increased or decreased. Thisreducing valve is the regular standard type of reducin valve used formany purposes in the use of steam, air and other fluids. There isnothing peculiar about the construction of said valve in this case. Thereducing valve is set to discharge oxygen'at a constant pressure, saidpressure being sufficient to dlstend the bag to its working pressure;namely, five centimeters of water gauge, whereupon the flow through thereducing valve stops and no further oxygen flows therethrou h until areduction in pressure takes place in the tube 10. Accor ingly, as theinhalation of the wearer increases or diminishes a corres nding increaseor decrease of suction t rough the Venturi tube is caused, this suctionnecessarily acting to control the supply of oxygen through the ipe 10.If the pressure at the end of the plpe 12 is decreased the flow ofoxygen thereto would necessarily be increased as the pressure of oxygendelivered through the valve 4 is constant. The suction through theVenturi tube is a function also of the velocit of the flow therethrough,the result being that increased inhalation causes a correspondingincrease of the supply of oxy en, which supply is responsive absolute yto the variations in the breathing of the wearer. It is apparent,therefore, that air drawn through t e Venturi tube 13 will gpeatlyincrease in speed at the point of greatest restriction, causing asuction in the 0 gen supply extension 12 and causing the re ucing va veto open for supplying oxygen with an amplifyin action.

I might state t at in the constant flow type of ap aratus, an injectorprinciple is made use 0% in which the pressure of oxygen from thecylinders is reduced by a reducing valve to-asomewhat lower pressure andthen passed through a minute nozzle or orifice introduced into aninjector which causes the air and carbonic acid to circulateindependently of the breathing of the operator. In short, in theinjector type of apparatus the flow of oxygen causes a circu ation ofrespiratory gases. In my apparatus, using the Venturi and the constantpressure reducing valve combination, the flow of respiratory gasesthrough the breathing bag in response to the demands of the wearerslungs, causes an increase or decrease in the flow of oxygen.

My invention has eliminated moving parts Which easily becomedisorganized and cause inefficient functioning of the apparatus andconstant danger to the life of the wearer. Furthermore, I have secured avariable oxygen supply with the elimination of the small apertures andby-pass valves, and there is nothing in my arrangement which will becomeeasily disorganized or put out of order by rough usage or constantdemands on the system.

While I have described more or less precisely the details ofconstruction of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limitingmyself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form, the proportion ofparts and substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest orrender expedient, Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: 1.. In a device of the class described, a

source of oxygen supply, a valve operatively associated with saidsource, a Venturi tube, and a connection between said source and saidVenturi tube including said valve, said connection terminating in arelatively large opening at the point of greatest restriction of saidVenturi tube for controlling said valve and the supply of oxygen fromsaid source.

2. In a device of the class described, a source of oxygen supply, aVenturi tube directly connected by piping to the mouth of the wearer,pressure reducing valve connect ed to the source of ox gen supp] andpiping leading from sai valve an terminating in an opening of relativelylarge size within the restricted portion of the Venturi tube, wherebythe valve is responsive to suction created in said portion of the tubeby the wearer.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 29th day of March, 1920.

MARCUS osTEEsE.

